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How would Jesus do my job??

Recently, I listened to two of John Mark Comer’s books Practicing the Way and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry . I highly recommend both of them, but they sure hit me in some sensitive spots. John Mark writes about how he seeks to be more like Jesus by being his apprentice, much like Jesus’s disciples, spending time with him, doing what he does, and becoming more and more like him.  At a couple of points, John Mark mentions that Jesus had a “normal” job as a carpenter for a long time before he began traveling and teaching as a rabbi. What challenged me was when John Mark said, “Jesus could have done any job. He could have done the same job as you” and then challenged his readers to think about how Jesus would have done our jobs. This has had my mind spinning for several weeks. Jesus - a middle and high school choir director?  I have been a choir director for twenty years, though In some ways, I feel like a first-year teacher every year. One of the best parts of my job is that I get t
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Peace and Joy Among Sharks

  Peace and Joy Among Sharks Recently, I found myself swimming in shark-infested waters. For real! My family and I were on a cruise and had chosen to snorkel with sharks in the ocean, off the coast of a Bahamian island. This was not a shark rescue and there were no cages. Are we crazy? Maybe! But it was one of our best memories with the four of us!  We took a 30-minute boat ride from shore to an area of the ocean in which we were told these two breeds of sharks liked to hang out. During this time, the crew distributed masks, flippers, and life jackets. Some people on the boat were very nervous. This may have been increased by the waivers we’d signed on shore. However, we were assured that the sharks were not interested in us (unless we made a lot of small splashes, they might come directly to us…so try not to do that). We were told we could get in the water, put our masked faces down in the water, and enjoy watching some sharks swim around us. (Look, but don’t touch.) This was both of

"A New Song to Sing"

  Today is September 5, my son Zachary’s 10th heavenly birthday. I usually have a very hard time on this day and cry a lot, but today is different. Today I am filled with joy and excitement because God has been using this little boy who lived only a few minutes to do something BIG in this world that he never knew. I am honored that I get to be a part of this project as I try to follow the Holy Spirit’s nudges and do as he leads. A lot is going on, and because of this, today is different.  Today, I have something to offer my son for his birthday. I have written his story. It’s not ready to publish yet, but I had hoped to have a rough draft finished by Zachary’s birthday - and despite it all, I did it! I am not writing this book because I had the idea, but God made it clear to me that I was supposed to. Something in these 41,128 words is supposed to help someone…somewhere.  Maybe that someone is me.  Because of Zachary, I learned about hope and joy amidst sorrow. I know now that God’s pl

We Need Each Others' Stories

  I am a talker, and I love talking to people and sharing our stories. The funny stories are the easiest to share, but I also love to just learn about other people's lives, families, and experiences.  I have three sisters in my family and have always looked to my older sisters for guidance when starting a new chapter of life. They went to middle school and high school before I did. They taught me how to study for tests and showed me what to wear or not wear. They definitely let me know when something I was doing was not cool (which was probably a lot). I gained sisters-in-law when I got married, adding to my village. My sisters had my niece and nephew before I had my first child. I learned a lot from them because they had to figure things out before I did. They made it easier for me when it was my time. I remember reading the What to Expect When You’re Expecting book when I was pregnant, but I don’t remember having time to read once my child was born - I just listened to people’s s